Biology and Life Sciences Forum

The growing interest in herbal and alternative medicines demands information on the toxicity risk assessment of the various plant extracts used in traditional medicines. The rich presence of sesquiterpene lactone, a potentially toxic phytochemical, in Tithonia diversifolia necessitates the toxicological evaluation of its biologically active constituents. This study evaluated the in vivo sub-chronic toxicity of the moderately polar fractions of T. diversifolia in a rat model. The ethyl acetate soluble portion from the methanol extract was separated using the vacuum liquid chromatographic method. Three dose levels—an observed adverse effect level (OAEL) of 2000 mg/kg, a no-observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 80 mg/kg, and an intermediate dose of 500 mg per kg body weight of rats per day—were selected for a 28-day period of repeated dosing for the sub-chronic toxicological evaluation. The LC-MS dereplication of the active fractions showed the presence of sesquiterpene lactones such as diversifolin, diversifolin methylether, tagitinin A, tagitinin C–F, woodhousin, and orizatin, as well as many unidentified peaks. There was a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the weights of the rats dosed with OAEL and their food consumption of the fraction during week 1, which normalized during the subsequent weeks of the study. The histopathological examination showed mild necrosis and degeneration of hepatocytes in the centrilobular areas of the rats treated with OAEL of the active VLC fraction. There were no T. diversifolia-related adverse toxicological events in rats receiving 2000 mg/kg/day when dosed orally for 28 days. Full article

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer, with over half of patients presenting with metastatic PDAC at diagnosis. Most patients receive conventional chemotherapy which invariably faces resistance, and a key facilitator in this is the PDAC stroma which acts as a functional mediator of disease progression through bilateral crosstalk between stromal cells and cancer cells. ‘Migrastatics’ are a new drug class which target cell migration pathway effector proteins to attenuate cancer cell invasion. Improvement in PDAC treatment strategy is well-overdue and migrastatics as adjuvant therapy is one avenue gaining traction. The p21-activated kinase (PAK) family is frequently overexpressed and/or amplified in PDAC where it regulates cytoskeletal actin contractility as well as transcription. Pre-clinical PAK inhibitors have shown reduced PDAC cell invasion in vitro, yet it is unknown how the PDAC stromal cells would respond to a PAK inhibitor and how this could consequently affect PDAC invasion. My PhD project investigates the Pancreatic stellate cell response to PAK inhibition. Full article

In many countries around the world, camel milk is a healthy food used to treat many health issues including diabetes. Thus, it has been demonstrated from several studies in vivo that the consumption of camel milk either fresh or fermented could have a positive effect on certain diseases and metabolic disorders such as hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. Furthermore, lactic cultures from camel milk have also been tested for the action of some active proteins or probiotic and have shown encouraging results. The objective of this work is to synthesize the data related to the benefits of camel milk and its effect on the regulation of glycemia. More in-depth studies should be carried out on humans, in order to confirm the effect of camel milk on glycemia. Full article

This work aims to determine the main histological changes in the endometrium of female camels during the postpartum period (recovered from the uterine epithelium). For this, successive samples of uterine mucosa were taken from the left uterine horn of females from the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 11th, 15th, 18th, and 21st postpartum day. The samples of the uterine biopsies were carried out on 10 camels. In this study, it appears that the recovery of the epithelium of the uterine endometrium is short (3 weeks) and comparable to that of mares. In conclusion, this study verified the hypothesis of short uterine involution in camels and the rapid resumption of ovarian activity. Full article

The camel is a highly valuable animal which contributes effectively to the welfare of people in difficult environments such as the Algerian Sahara. Reproduction in the camel is not as well understood as in more common species of domestic animals. Reproductive problems in the camel are not researched as, for example, in the bovine and small ruminants. Our study demonstrates a clinical case in the Ghardaïa district: cesarean section in female’s camels. The incidence of camel dystocia does not differ from that of bovines. The etiologies of dystocia include uterine torsion, carpal flexion, lateral deviation of the head and hock and hip flexion of the fetus. However, the camel fetus survives dystocia better than the equine fetus, and the camel is a good subject for cesarean section. Cesarean section could be performed on the left flank using xylazine sedation and local regional or infiltration anesthesia. A camel, 17 h in dystocia, delivered a live fetus via cesarean section. The camel placenta is diffuse epitheliochorial type, and placental retention subsequent to parturition is rare. The camel placenta is expelled within 49 min to 6 h of calving. Full article

This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and identification of gastrointestinal parasites in fecal samples of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Algeria based on microscopic examination. A total of 46 fresh fecal samples were collected in the southern Algerian towns of Adrar, Tindouf, Ourgla, and Ain Salah, and nine samples from camel farms in Constantine. Samples were examined with the flotation technique. Results showed an infestation rate of dromedaries of 32.6% (15/46), with seven different gastrointestinal species: 25.4% protozoa (Balantidium coli, Eimeria dromederi), 16.3% nematodes (Nematodirus spp., Trichuris spp., others strongles), and 3.6% cestodes (Moniezia spp.). Dromedaries are more infested with protozoa than with nematodes or cestodes (p < 0.05). The type of sex has no significant influence on the rate of parasitic infestation. The Sahraoui breed (70%) appears more infested compared to the Tergui breed (31.42%) (p < 0.05). Dromedaries originating from the Ouargla region (73.68%) are the most infested compared to those originating from Adrar (18.18%), Ain Salah (10%), and Tindouf (33.33%) (p < 0.05). Full article

The effect of static drying on the physicochemical quality of camel (Camelus dromedarius) meat slices as driedin an oven at 65 °C, with the aim of contributing to food safety. During the experiments, meat was cutinto. 8 ± 0.2 cm thick slices, soaked in a saline solution for 30 min, and then dried. Moisture content wasmeasured during the drying phase, and physicochemical parameters, such as protein, ash, sodium, pH, and mineral content, such as calcium (Ca), phosphor (P), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn), were monitored before and after drying. The colorimetric parametersof the dried samples are also measured. The results show that the physicochemical quality of the dried camelmeat meets the requirements of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Indeed, the moisture content decreased from 73.94 ± 0.51% to 13.33 ± 0.44%, and the dried food samples were characterized by increases (i) from 19.72 ± 0.30% to 50.97 ± 0.65% in protein content; (ii) from 1.115 ± 0.012% to 4.781 ± 0.047%, in ash content; (iii) from 260 ± 11.7 mg to 1690 ± 32 mg, in the sodium content (for 100 g of dry matter), and (iv) from 5.956 ± 0.087 to 6.203 ± 0.091 in pH value. However, the variation is not significant for all mineral content parameters. Finally, themean values of the colorimetric parameters of brightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) are 37.13 ± 1.64, 22.02 ± 0.72, and 7.73 ± 0.69, respectively (before drying) and they are 25.57 ± 1.56, 9.43 ± 0.78, and 3.74 ± 0.21, respectively (after drying). Full article

The aim of this work is to provide some anatomical data using a non-invasive method. Nine entire diaphragms of adult dromedaries were collected randomly at the slaughterhouse, and the bones prepared at the anatomy laboratory of Ouargla (Algeria). The CT examinations were performed on a 16-section CT device made by Siemens (Sensation 16, dedicated to the environment and the veterinary industry by Image-ET (Mordelles, France)). This bone is flat on one side and protruding on the other. The central part of the bone has an average HU value of −176 (−684 to 88), which clearly corresponds to the cancellous bone, and the external surface of the bone has an average HU value of 2320 (1979 to 2664), which corresponds to the compact bone. This study allows us to have a better understanding of the variability and structure of the dromedary diaphragm bone. Full article

Subclinical intra-mammary infection is a very current disease in dairy females; several early tests exist for their detection: California Mastitis Test (CMT), Electrical Conductimetry of milk (CE), pH indicator papers. In this study, the milk of 104 cows (416 quarters) was tested using CMT (Raidex^®) to first estimate the prevalence of the disease and to identify the effect of age, stage of lactation and position of neighborhoods on its prevalence; second, we looked for data related to camels from another study carried out on 57 camels (in Algiers (ENVH), starting with the hypothesis that the camel is more resistant. The prevalence rate (CMT > 1) is around 45% for cows and 15% for quarters. The study conducted in Algiers yielded a rate of 67% (for camels and 35% for quarters, i.e., an increase of 130% for quarters and 50% for animals. Our study emphasizes the impact of the last stage of lactation compared to the first (35% vs. 15%), which is in agreement with the other study; on the other hand, the effect of the posterior position of the teats and age was contradictory. The differences between the rates were not significant at p < 0.05 between neither the animals or quarters (Chi 2: 53.24 and 71.41). Full article

The process of desertification affects about 46% of Africa. Hence, the dromedary appears by far to be the most appropriate strategic investment. It is obvious that in view of global events, the number of areas that will be affected by desertification will increase considerably, which will make this animal a key element in maintaining food security for a considerable number of people. The objective of this review is to describe what is currently being carried out in the study of the phenotypic and molecular diversity of camels and to highlight the prospects for the exploitation and use of these products in sustainable farming systems. Due to the increasing demand for camels around the world, there is a need for knowledge about their phenotypic and genetic diversity. This is fundamental to the sustainable management and use of herds. It appears through this review that the morphological and genetic diversity of African camels and the scientific advance can be used for genetic improvement and conservation. Full article

The goal of this study was to determine the seasonal and age effects on male camels’ intake. Over the two seasons (wet and dry season), follow-ups were conducted at El Alia Rangelands (southeast of Algeria). Eight males were selected to measure bite counts and dry matter intake (DMI) per season; they were distributed into two groups, adult males (AM) and young males (YM). The results showed that there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the number of bites according to the season and the age categories, with a maximum average of 80.33 ± 18.206 for AM in the dry season and a minimum average of 15.50 ± 9.955 for YM in the wet season. During the wet season, Traganum nudatum had the highest dry matter intake (DMI), with 2.01 kg DM for AM and 0.28 kg DM for YM, while Salsola longifolia and Salsola tetragona had the lowest, with 0.38 and 0.39 kg DM, respectively, during the dry season in YM. Limoniastrum guyonianum exhibited high amounts of dry matter intake (DMI) in the dry season, with 1.10 and 0.22 kg DM in AM and YM, respectively, but significantly decreased in AM and YM during the wet season (0.03 and 0.02 kg DM respectively). The season influences the feed intake of male camels, of course. Full article

The dromedary, also called the one-humped camel, can live and adapt well to the harsh and hot climate of the desert due to its functional anatomical particularities. Both the dromedary and the ox are known as artiodactyls. Anatomically, they have a few similarities but many differences. This paper aims to review the digestive and respiratory anatomy of the two species and enumerate their main particularities. The camel’s mouth is thick and unique; it helps them to be selective with regard to food and to avoid any thorny plants. The nostrils of the dromedary are slit-like, with wings that can close to ensure protection against the wind and the sand; they also have a role in the conservation of water. Contrary to the ox, the dromedary’s lungs are not lobulated, and the diaphragm has a unique structure. Unlike the bovids, camelids have only three distinct digestive chambers instead of four; there is no clear distinction between the third and fourth chambers. In addition, they have glandular sac areas called “water cells” instead of papillae in the rumen. Their liver is lobulated, and without a gall bladder. Full article

Lactobacillaceae are Gram-positive and lactic acid-positive (LAB) bacteria that frequently serve as probiotics. LAB strains vary in their responses to different carbohydrates as free-living and biofilm communities. We previously found that fermentable sugars triggered an altered carrying capacity with strain specificity during planktonic growth, calling for adding a buffering system during the formulation of probiotics. In addition, a heterogeneous response to fermentable sugars was manifested in microbial aggregation (measured by image-stream flow cytometry), colony development, and attachment to mucin. Of all the probiotic strains, L. rhamnosus GG (LGG), a prevalent probiotic species, manifested an enhanced survival of self-imposed acid stress, consistent with the enhanced cell wall modulation observed by transmitting electron microscopy and proteomic analysis. A comprehensive proteomic and metabolomic study revealed that the formation of biofilms and aggregation capacity is a specific response to glucose independent of self-imposed acid stress. In contrast, the increased competitiveness and aggression of LGG and other LAB strains towards enteric pathogens were a synergistic outcome of a change in organic acid production, glucose-dependent bacteriocin production, and fermentation-specific volatile production. Our improved resolution into the cellular circuits (metabolome, proteome, and volatilome) of probiotic strains and their interactions can lead to developing novel therapeutic approaches to combat GI tract infections. Full article

The main of this study is to determine the nature and frequency of the different reasons for the seizure of mean and offal in the camel compared to the other ruminants slaughtered under the same conditions. This study is a synthesis of the slaughterhouse records that are part of the activity of the veterinary inspection office of the agricultural services of the wilaya of Adrar during 2017. Camels accounted for 10.4% of the total meat produced at the slaughterhouse in 2017, after the sheep, with 77.8%. The percentage of seizures for meat in camel is 3.12%. The highest weight of seized meat is observed in sheep, with 3665 kg, then camel, with 150 kg. Traumatized meat is the predominant reason for seizures, with 3.12% (150 kg) and 81.81% (115 kg) for camel and sheep, respectively. The dromedary is in the second class for the seizure of red offal after sheep, with an estimated loss of 316.3 kg, of which 88.88% of seizures are represented by lung lesions. Pneumonia is the greatest reason for offal seizure at 1.1%, followed by pulmonary hydatidosis at 0.36%. The dominant cases lead to considerable losses of animal protein. The loss of protein in a country that lacks sufficient sources shows how worrying seizures are. Full article

Camel meat is considered as good source of nutrition, its taste and texture are similar to that of cattle and has an amino acid content ten times higher than that of the latter. Moreover, its consumption is very low and the manufacture and marketing of cameline meat products are very neglected. The objective of this work is to promote camel’s meat and the derived products from it. Thus, the industry sector should launch and invest in the production of large ranges of camel meat, in order to meet consumer demands. Full article

The dromedary camel is a domestic animal in arid and desert regions. Its oral cavity has evolved to allow the ingestion of desert plants, often not consumed by other species. Indeed, the teeth of this species present anatomical peculiarities specific to pseudo-ruminant animals by their forms, their arrangements, their formulas, and their kinetics of eruption and wear. With 22 deciduous and 34 permanent teeth, including 2 incisors and 2 canines in the upper jaw and 6 incisors and 2 canines in the lower jaw, estimating the age of a dromedary remains difficult for most clinicians. This accurate age determination is very important not only for breeders and young promoters when purchasing animals but also for the clinician when performing veterinary or zootechnical examinations. This work was carried out in a herd of 70 camels belonging to the Arid Lands Institute (IRA Tunisia) and is based on a monthly and annual follow-up and examination of the morphology of the teeth (eruptions, replacements, and wear) throughout the life of the dromedary. Full article